Combination desk and chair



Oct. 15, 1963 R. L. WATTS COMBINATION DESK AND CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 3, 1962 RAY L. WAT Ts Qw,%-h W ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1963 R. L. wATTs v. 1'9

COMBINATION DESK AND CHAIR Filed Jan. 5, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RAY L. WATTS) BY atz mmm k ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1963 R. L. WATTS COMBINATION DESK AND CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 3, 1962 INVENTOR: RAY L. WATTS ATTORNEYS United States Patent )fiice 3 ,1 97 ,l Patented Oct. 15, 1963 The present invention relates to furniture and more particularly to an item of furniture which is adapted for alternative use as a chair and a desk.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination desk and chair of extremely sturdy construction and wherein the conversion from one to the other is easily effected.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a combination desk and chair of the character described having cooperating means for guiding the top portion, which is adapted for alternative employment as a chair back and desk top, between the two positions.

A still more specific object of the present invention is to provide a combination desk and chair of the character described having resilient means for releasably locking the top portion in the chair back position and means for positively locking the top portion in the desk top position.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- FEGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the combination desk and chair of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1 with the top portion arranged for use as a desk as shown in full lines and for use as a chair as shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view of the desk shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 44 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a partial section taken substantially along line 5-5 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line fi5 in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of the combination desk and chair of the present invention partially in section and with portions removed.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a combination desk and chair generally indicated at it} which comprises a base portion 11 and a top portion 12. it is to be understood that the term desk as used herein includes all similar objects, such as a table etc., not literally embodied therein.

Base 11 comprises a pair of spaced lower side panels 13, 14, each of which is suitably cut to provide a pair of leg portions 15, 16 and 17, 18 thereon respectively. Diagonal leg portions 15, 18 and 16, 17 are connected by a pair of cross braces 20, 21, respectively. Side panels 13 and 14 are connected at their forward ends by a front panel 22, which is suitably connected at opposite ends to the corresponding side panels.

Each of the side panels 13 and 14 have suitable openings 23 and 24 formed therein and are connected by a substantially flat member 25 which issecured at opposite ends to the corresponding side panels adjacent the bottom of the openings 23 and 24. Member 25 has a runner 26 secured to the medial portions thereof and extending longitudinally thereof. The openings 23 and 24 receive drawers 3t), 31, respectively, which have suitable grooves (not shown) formed in the bottom thereof which matingly receive runner 2-6 whereby the drawers 30, 31 are slidably supported by member 25. Drawers 30, 31 have handles 32, 33 mounted thereon for manual operation thereof to provide access thereto. it is to be understood that the drawers 3i and 31, openings 23, 24, member 25 and runner 26 may be omitted if desired without depar-ting from the spirit of the instant invention.

A seat supporting member 34 is mounted on the lower side panels 13 and 14 and the front panel 22 by any suitable means and is of sufficient dimensions to extend between the side panels 13 and 14 and for substantially the full length thereof. A front bracket member 35 is mounted on seat supporting member 34 at the forward end thereof and a rear bracket member 36 of similar construction is mounted on seat supporting member 34 forwardly of the rear end of the member for reasons to be presently described. An upholstered seat portion 37 is mounted on seat supporting member 34 and contains conventional springs and the like (not shown) with the covering thereof being connected to the front and rear bracket members 35 and 36 by suitable tacks 38.

A pair of upper outer side panels 40, 4-1 are mounted on lower side panels 13 and 14 and are of a length substantially the same as lower side panels. Upper side panels 40, 41 are of a slightly greater thickness than lower side panels 13, 14 and are suitably contoured to define the arm portions of the chair It The inner portion of the upper surface of the upper side panels 46 41 is cut away as indicated at 42, 43 from the upper front edge thereof rearwardly throughout the length of panels 40 and 41 and downwardly at the rearward end thereof to provide smoothly contoured cutout portions extending from the upper forward corner rearwardly and downwardly to the rearward lower corner thereof.

A pair of upper inner side panels 44, are mounted on seat supporting member 34 and are connected to the outer upper side panels 4% and 41. Inner upper side panels 44 and 45 cooperate with the cutout portions 42 and 43$ to define upwardly and rearwardly opening grooves for reasons to be presently described. Inner side panels 44 and 45 are provided with forwardly opening slots 46 and 47 which are also for purposes to be presently described. The inner surface of side panels 44 and 45 are upholstered as is indicated at 48, 49 as is conventional in chairs of the instant type.

Top portion 12 comprises a top panel 5t] which is of substantially the same width as the distance between the cutout portions or grooves 42 and 43. A pair of side rails or wings 51 and 52 are mounted on top panel member 50 and portions thereof are disposed in the grooves 42 and 43. The upper portions of inner upper side panels 44, 45 defining the inner side walls of grooves 4-2, 43 may be termed shoulder means and engage the inner sides of side rails 51, '52 to prevent lateral shifting thereof. A pair of guide members 53, 54 are mounted on top panel member 50 and are spaced inwardly from the top side rails 51 and 52 a distance greater than the thickness of upper inner side panels 44 and 45 such that the same are straddled by the top side panels 51, 52 and guide members 53, 54.

Upper portion 12 is mounted on base portion 11 by a pair of pins 55, 56 which are mounted at one end in the respective side rails 51, 52 and at the other end in guide members 53, 54. Pins 55 and 56 penetrate through elongate guide slots 60, 61 formed in the upper inner side panels 44, 45 of base portion '11. Guide slots 66*, 61 have substantially vertical portions generally parallel to the rear end :of upper inner side panels 44, 45 and horizontal portions generally parallel to the top surface of upper inner side panels 44, 45. The vertical and horizontal portions of guide slots 60, 61 are connected by smoothly curving portions such that pins 55 and 55 may move upwardly and forwardly therein to guide the upper portion 12 from a substantially vertical chair position as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2 to a substantially horizontal desk position as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2.

A movable frame 62 is slidably mounted on top panel movement of top portion '12 will cease.

50 between guide members 53, 54. Frame 62 comprises spaced apart side frame members 63, 64 connected together by upper and lower frame members 65, 66, respectively, and .by a handle member 67. Frame 62 also includes a latch bar 70 which penetrates through suitable openings formed in the side frame members 63 and 64 and extends outwardly therefrom. The outer end portions of latch bar 70 penetrate through elongate slots 68, 69 formed in guide members 53, 54, respectively, and into grooves 72, 73 formed in the top side panels 51 and 52, respectively. Frame 62 is biased to the downward or retracted position by a pair of springs 74, 75 which are connected by suitable eyelets 76, 77 to latch bar 70 at one end and to the top panel member 50 at the other end. A pair of spaced pins 80, 81 are dependingly mounted on the lower frame member 66 of frame 62, when top portion 12 is in the vertical position, and are clampingly received by a pair of spring clips 82, 83 mounted by suitable screws 84, 85 on the seat supporting member 34 rearwardly of the bracket member 36. Pins 80, 81 and spring clips 82 and 83 cooperate to releasably maintain the top portin12 in the substantially vertical chair posi tion.

Slidable frame 62 has a suitable upholstered portion 90 including a cover which is connected at opposite ends to the upper and lower frame members 65, 66 and at its opposite side to the side frame members 63 and 64.

In operation, when the combination desk and chair is to be used as a chair, the upper portion 12 is disposed in a substantially vertical position with the pins 80, 81 being resiliently clamped by the spring clips 82, 83. The slidable frame 62 is in the retracted position and is resiliently held in this position by the springs 74 and 75.

' When it is desired to convert the chair of the instant invention to a desk or table, the user grasps the handle member 67 of slidable frame 62 and lifts upwardly thereon which raises the slidable frame 62 relative to the guide members 53, 54, the top panel member 50 and remove pins 80, 81 from spring clips 82, 83. The user then moves the upper portion 12 upwardly and forwardly to the horizontal position with the same being guided upwardly and forwardly by the cooperating pins 55, 56 and grooves 60, 61. When the upper portion 12 reaches the horizontal position, the lock bar 70 is'in the forward or extended position and the user merely releases the handle member 67 and springs 74, 75 move the slidable frame 62 and lock bar 70 carried thereby to the retracted position. This moves lock bar 70 into the forwardly opening grooves 46 and 47 formed in the upper inner side panels 44 and 45 which cooperate therewith to securely lock the upper portion 12 in the horizontal position. It is noted that the side rails 51 and 52 are disposed in the grooves 42 and 43 in both the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions to provide an extremely stable structure and to aid in guiding the upper portion '12 between the substantially vertical and horizontal positions.

To convert the combination desk and chair from a desk to a chair, the user grasps handle member 67 and pulls forwardly thereon. This slides frame 62 forwardly and moves lock bar 70 out of the grooves 46, 47. The user then pushes rearwardly ontop portion 12 and the cooperating pins 55, 56 and grooves 60, 61 guide the top portion to the substantially vertical position. When pins 80, 81 strike seat supporting member 34, the downward The user then merely pushes rearwardly on the top portion '12 to move pins 80, 81 into spring clips 82, 83 to lock top portion 12 in the vertical position.

It will therefore be apparent that a novel combination desk and chair is provided of extremely sturdy construction and which includes novel means for guiding the upper portion between the vertical and horizontal positions and novel means for securely locking the upper portion in the vertical and horizontal positions.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A combination chair and desk comprising a base portion including a pair of spaced apart, interconnected upright arm members, each of said arm members having a groove formed in the top surface thereof and extending for substantially the full length of said arm member, proximal side portions of said arm members having substantially inverted L-shaped openings therein, an elongate top portion adapted for alternate employment as a chair back and desk top, respectively, and including a pair of spaced side rails having at least a portion thereof disposed in said grooves in said arm members for iguiding said top portion between chair back and desk top positions and to prevent lateral shifting of said side rails and said top portion when in desktop position, a pin carried by each of said side rails and being guidingly received in the corresponding inverted L-shaped openings to mount said top portion on said base portion for movement between the chair back and desk top positions, and means for releasably maintaining said top portion in each of the chair back and desk top positions.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said means for releasably maintaining said top portion in the chair back position comprises a pair of spring clips carried by said base portion and a pair of pins carried by said top portion, said clips being adapted to receive said pins therein and resiliently clamp the same.

' 3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said means for releasably maintaining said top portion in the desk top position comprises a forwardly opening slot formed in the forward surface of each of the portions of said am members defining the inner side walls of said grooves and a latch bar slidably carried by said top portion, said slots being adapted to receive said latch bar therein when said top portion is in the desk top position to positively lock the top portion in this position.

4. The structure recited in claim 3 including spring means operatively connected to said latch bar for biasing the same toward locking position.

5. A combination chair and desk comprising a base portion including a pair of spaced apart, interconnected up right arm members, each of said arm members having a continuous groove formed in the top and rear surfaces thereof proximal side portions of said arm members having elongate openings formed therein with a first portion of each of said openings extending horizontally substantially parallel to the top surfaces of said arm members and a remainder portion extending in a vertical plane and substantially at right angles to the first portion thereof, each of said proximal side portions having a forwardly opening slot formed in the forward surface thereof, an elongate top portion adapted for alternate employment as a chair back and desk top, respectively, and including a pair of spaced apart side rails, at least a portion of said side rails being disposed within said grooves when in both chair back and desk top positions for preventing lateral shifting thereof, said grooves and said side rails cooperating for guiding said top portion between said chair back and desk top positions, a pin carried by each of said side rails and being guidingly received in the corresponding elongate opening in the arm members and thereby mounting said top portion for movement relative to said base portion between said chair back and desk top positions, a pair of spring clips. carried by said base portion adjacent the rear surface thereof, a pair of pins carried by said top portion and adapted to operatively engage said spring clips when said. top portion is in the chair back position to releasably maintain the top portion in this position, a latch bar slid-- U ably mounted on said top portion and adapted to be positioned in said forwardly opening slots when said top portion is in the desk top position to positively lock the top portion in this position, and spring means operatively connected to said latch bar for biasing the same toward looking position.

6. A combination chair and desk comprising a base portion including a pair of spaced apart, interconnected upright arm members, each of said arm members having a continuous groove formed in the top and rear surfaces thereof and extending for substantially the full length and eight of the arm member and a forwardly opening slot in the front surface thereof, proximal side portions of said arm members having substantially inverted L-shaped openings therein, an elongate top portion adapted for alternate employment as a chair back and desk top respectively and including a pair of spaced apart side rails having at least a portion thereof disposed in said grooves in said arm members for guiding said top portion between chair back and desk top positions and for preventing lateral shifting of said top portion when in said chair back and desk top positions, a pin carried by each of said side rails and being guidingly received in the corresponding inverted L-shaped openings in said arm members to mount said top portion on said base portion for movement between the chair back and desk top position, means carried by said base portion and said top portion for releasably maintaining said top portion in said chair back position, each of said side rails having an elongate groove formed in the inner side thereof adjacent the forward end thereof when in desk top position, an elongate iatch member slidably mounted on said top portion and having opposite ends thereof disposed in said elongate grooves in the inner sides of said side rails, said latch member being adapted to be disposed in the forwardly opening slots in the front surface of said arm members for releasably latching said top portion in the desk top position, and spring means operatively connected to said latch member for bia ing said latch member toward latching position in said forwardly opening slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1). 180,542 Barrow July 2, 1957 1,910,086 Steele Nov. 28, 1911 1,077,189 Curtice Oct. 28, 1913 1,207,510 Decker Dec. 5, 1916 1,397,675 Buske Nov. 22, 1921 1,819,956 Kocjan Aug. 18, 1931 2,707,512 Fable May 3, 1955 2,713,888 Andrews July 26, 1955 2,744,805 McMahan May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 195,545 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1923 

1. A COMBINATION CHAIR AND DESK COMPRISING A BASE PORTION INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART, INTERCONNECTED UPRIGHT ARM MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID ARM MEMBERS HAVING A GROOVE FORMED IN THE TOP SURFACE THEREOF AND EXTENDING FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID ARM MEMBER, PROXIMAL SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID ARM MEMBERS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY INVERTED L-SHAPED OPENINGS THEREIN, AN ELONGATE TOP PORTION ADAPTED FOR ALTERNATE EMPLOYMENT AS A CHAIR BACK AND DESK TOP, RESPECTIVELY, AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED SIDE RAILS HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF DISPOSED IN SAID GROOVES IN SAID ARM MEMBERS FOR GUIDING SAID TOP PORTION BETWEEN CHAIR BACK AND DESK TOP POSITIONS AND TO PREVENT LATERAL SHIFTING OF SAID SIDE RAILS AND SAID TOP PORTION WHEN IN DESK TOP POSITION, A PIN CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID SIDE RAILS AND BEING GUIDINGLY RERECEIVED IN THE CORRESPONDING INVERTED L-SHAPED OPENINGS TO MOUNT SAID TOP PORTION ON SAID BASE PORTION FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE CHAIR BACK AND DESK TOP POSITIONS, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY MAINTAINING SAID TOP PORTION IN EACH OF THE CHAIR BACK AND DESK TOP POSITIONS. 